I stare at him, bewildered. ‘Really?’

‘Yes, really,’ he says with a laugh. ‘I just wish you could’ve met Ed this trip. Properly, I mean, under better circumstances. He feels bad about the way he spoke to you.’

I pull a face. ‘It was understandable.’

‘Maybe when you’re back at Christmas,’ he says.

‘I don’t know if I’m coming back yet.’

‘You are.’ He’s jokily confident.

Polly is in the middle of bedtime madness, so she’s happy to keep our farewell brief, assuming that I have a taxi waiting outside on the street for me. I shake my head at Alex as he makes to get out of the car to help me with my suitcase.

‘You didn’t tell her I gave you a lift?’ he asks when I’m back beside him, cheerfully waving out of the window.

‘No. Sorry. She would’ve given me shit about it.’

‘Oh.’

I belatedly realise how this must make him feel. His friends and family are willing to have a fresh start, but mine aren’t?

‘It’s only because I’m not going to get a chance to bring her up to date before I leave,’ I tell him. ‘You understand, don’t you?’

‘Yeah,’ he says.

But I’m not entirely sure he does, and the journey to my hotel is more subdued.

Finally he’s pulling into a space in the hotel car park. He switches off the ignition and we sit there in the darkness, in silence, as the seconds tick by.

I’m the first to speak. ‘Thank you. Today has been really nice. I didn’t know how much I needed it.’

He nods, and then abruptly presses the heels of his palms to his eyes.

‘Was this just about closure?’ he asks after a while, meeting my gaze directly, his eyes glinting in the low light. I slowly shake my head and watch as a strange series of emotions wash across his features.

‘Bronte,’ he murmurs, reaching for my hand.

I let him take it, allowing his long, cool fingers to slip between mine while my insides go berserk.

But, once more, thoughts of Lachie assault my mind, my golden sunshine boy, my warmth, my heart for over four years. I can’t let him go yet.

I extract my hand. ‘I’ll email you from Sydney,’ I say, reaching for the handle.

‘Fuck this!’ he mutters. His expression is anguished when he turns to face me. ‘I’m damned if I’m going to let you walk out of my life again.’

My mouth falls open.

‘I love you,’ he says. ‘Still. I know you’re not ready to start anything new. I know it’s too soon. I know you’re not over Lachie. But I can’t let you leave without you knowing how I feel, even if it makes me look like a complete dick. Again.’

My expression softens.

‘I love you,’ he repeats, his eyes shining. ‘I always have. I always will. I still think we’re meant to be together. Our timing has seriously sucked in the past, and I know it’s still not perfect, but I will wait until you’re ready. Okay?’